Tennis Success of Darnestown Siblings Is All in the Family

The Dhingra family in Darnestown is “all in” when it comes to finding the right balance between tennis and family.

Lakelands Middle School students, Opala and Arnav Dhingra, have experienced a good deal of success on the tennis courts while their parents, Anil and Sarala, help them balance tennis with school and family life.

An eighth-grader at Lakelands, Opala Dhingra started playing tennis around the age of 3 when her parents started to throw balls to her on a nearby tennis court.

Her mom, Sarala, laughed and said, “In a way, I was her first coach.”

Opala had her first private lessons as a 4-year-old at Quince Orchard Swim and Tennis Club (QOSTC) in North Potomac.

“Opala has a tenacious mental and physical all-court game,” said Brian Fankhauser, QOSTC's Director of Tennis and the 2010 USTA/Maryland Teaching Pro of the Year.

Currently, at age 13, she ranks 27th in the mid-Atlantic region's 14-year-old division, and reached a rank of 6th in the 12-year-old division. 

She performed very well in an exhibition match at QOSTC in Spring 2011 in front of 90 patrons.

“Opala played great tennis, however only a few of us knew that she was very sick that day,” Fankhauser said. “She showed remarkable perseverance.”

It is clear she loves the power game and considers her forehand as her strength. Her dad, Anil, said he is seeing a “maturity in her game, a consistency and an ability to modify her game based on her opponent.”

Opala’s younger brother, Arnav, is in 6th grade at Lakelands and developed his own passion for tennis after watching his sister practice. He is currently ranked 9th as an 11-year-old in the mid-Atlantic 12-year-old division.

“Arnav has the most desire, focus and best work ethic I have ever seen from a junior tennis player.” said Fankhauser. “He studies the game and literally improves every day.”

When he was six years old, Arnav received a Roger Federer racket for Christmas and ever since then, said Anil, “he greatly admires and emulates Federer.” In fact, he admires Federer so much he was determined to develop a one-handed backhand at age 7, even though it is not recommended for players so young to change from a two-handed backhand.

Now at 11, he plays confidently with his backhand, as well as “top spin, slice, drive and very deceptive drop shots,” added Fankhauser.

Family is still the most important thing to the Dhingras, and Sarala and Anil are committed to tempering training schedules with school and family time. Sarala enjoys preparing healthy, nutritious meals for the family and teaches the kids yoga for fun and relaxation.

Opala and Arnav now train regularly with Vince Pulupa in Potomac, but workouts are limited to four days a week, leaving them time for studying and other favored activities like reading and playing cricket. The family enjoys extensive travel, beyond the many national tournaments they play during the competitive season. 

“The Dhingras are incredibly supportive of their children’s tennis,” said Fankhauser, “but they don’t push. They don’t worry about rankings and accolades.”

Like Anil Dhingra says, “It isn’t all about the tennis.  It is about balance.”  And that is how he and his family are going forward.